Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #112: Fiona (12/7/99)
Homer pauses at the door to Lemuse's room.
Homer is out of uniform, wearing a cape and carrying a large basket.
Homer rings the bell.
Lemuse opens the door.
Lemuse: Oh, hi Homer!
Lemuse always zlins glad to see Homer.
Homer smiles, enjoying the feel of her welcome.
Homer: Hello, Sosu Lemuse.
Homer: I am going to the park.
Homer: Perhaps you would like to come with me?
Lemuse: Sure!
Lemuse scraps all of her plans.
Homer: I brought something you might like... perhaps.
Lemuse: Oh yeah? ~ curious ~
Homer: I cooked for you something spicy.
Homer: We can have a picnic.
Lemuse: Great!
Lemuse has a healthy interest in food of all kinds.
Homer: You must dress warmly, though.
Homer: The sun is out, but it is cold.
Lemuse fetches her cloak.
Lemuse: See?
Lemuse puts it on.
Homer supervises the proper bundling up of his Gen.
Homer: Yes, that is good. Wear the scarf, too, I think.
Lemuse rolls her eyes good naturedly and fetches the scarf as well.
Lemuse wraps it around her head.
Lemuse hopes she doesn't get too sweaty before they make it out of the building.
Homer: Good. Now we go.
Homer leads the way out of the DCO office complex.
Lemuse follows.
Homer is eager to get away from the concrete buildings.
Lemuse scurries to keep up.
Homer slows down to wait for Lemuse.
Lemuse: Gosh! You must be really hungry! [as she rejoins him]
Homer: Not hungry, no. But I do not like to be so long inside walls.
Homer takes a deep breath with relief as they emerge into the street where he can feel the sun and wind on his face.
Lemuse follows along at Homer's side, automatically providing a low level support.
Homer: We could walk, or I could get a carriage.
Lemuse: Well if you want to be outside, why don't we just walk?
Homer: That is fine!
Homer smiles, but also zlins Lemuse to be sure she really wants to walk and is not just being polite.
Lemuse zlins cheerful and not very strong of opinion in any one direction, which is actually how she zlins quite a bit of the time, except when she's being terribly positive about something.
Homer leads in the direction of the park. The sun is bright, but there is a bracingly cold breeze which he really enjoys.
Lemuse is glad Homer is having a good time.
Lemuse so rarely gets to see Homer having a good time.
Homer: You know, Sosu, I had an answer from the Controller.
Homer: I will be able to meet with Hajene Pierce when he comes to Capitol.
Lemuse: Great.
Lemuse: Told you so.
Lemuse grins.
Homer: Yes, you did.
Homer finds Lemuse's happiness is catching, so can't help but grin back.
Homer: It will be good to see someone from home.
Lemuse: Yeah, I can believe it.
Homer: Hajene Pierce is very wise.
Homer: He is the only one I know who knows the ways of both Arizz and Nivet.
Homer is distracted by a passing shop window full of dyed bird plumes.
Lemuse stops so he can look.
Homer shakes his head.
Homer: Amazing. Where are the birds with such feathers?
Lemuse giggles.
Homer: There are birds by the lake but their feathers are only brown and white.
Lemuse: I think they must be dyed.
Homer: Ahh. Of course.
Lemuse: I think that one is an emu tail feather.
Lemuse points to a bright red bushy plume.
Homer: Yes, so it is. Very nice color.
Homer continues walking.
Lemuse hurries after.
Lemuse: I don't think I'd want to meet a bright red emu in person, especially if it was angry.
Homer: No, emus must be treated with great respect--regardless of color.
Homer leads Lemuse to the park near the River Gardens.
Lemuse: One time when I was a little girl my sister and I got chased by three geese....
Lemuse is toasty warm from exertion by the time they arrive at the park some two miles away.
Homer finds a picnic table with a cooking area near it.
Homer sets the basket down on the table.
Lemuse sits down.
Homer zlins Lemuse to see if she is tired or hungry or cold.
Lemuse: Well, one advantage to picnicking at this time of year... no competition for tables!
Lemuse is eternally optimistic.
Homer: That is true.
Homer scans around at the snow-covered bushes and the nearly deserted park.
Homer: We could pretend we were all alone, traveling high in the mountains where the snow comes all the time.
Lemuse thinks that is an unhealthy direction for Homer to be headed in, considering his current status with the Tecton.
Homer: The Sang Mountains are all purple and jagged, like broken teeth.
Homer opens the basket and takes removes some charcoal and matches.
Homer positions the charcoal in the cooking grill and proceeds to kindle a fire.
Homer: If you were my Donor back home, we would be riding the circuit, not sitting in a clinic.
Homer: We might have to travel ten miles between each patient.
Lemuse: Well, at least that gives plenty of recovery time.
Homer: Yes.
Lemuse: It's like that in many parts of Sime Territory still.
Fiona comes skipping along with her thumb in her mouth.
Lemuse: Even the Tecton channels have to travel.
Lemuse: I knew this one guy, Carmikel....
Fiona is a small child of about 6 natal years, wearing a bright red coat with big red buttons, and a hat.
Fiona stops some distance from the Channel and Donor and stares, sucking her thumb.
Lemuse looks at Fiona, thinking she is a bit old to be sucking her thumb, but what a cute dress!
Lemuse smiles and waves.
Homer: Ah, we have a visitor!
Fiona takes her thumb out of her mouth and waves back.
Homer waves also.
Fiona: You're a channel. I can tell.
Fiona sticks her thumb back in her mouth.
Homer notes that the charcoal is heating well.
Homer: Little one, you are right.
Fiona takes a step or two closer.
Fiona removes her thumb again.
Fiona: Is that a cooking thing for cooking with?
Homer removes a round covered pot from the basket and places it on the grill.
Fiona looks at the charcoal with interest.
Homer: Truly, that is what it is.
Fiona giggles.
Fiona: You talk funny.
Fiona: What's your name?
Homer watches Fiona carefully to make sure she doesn't get too near the fire.
Fiona's Mum's voice can be heard from around the bend. "Fiona!"
Homer: My name is Homer Hawke, Second Order Channel.
Fiona: That's my mum. She is slow. Not me. I can run fast!
Fiona demonstrates by running around the table a few times.
Fiona can, indeed, run fast (by her standards).
Fiona's Mum: Fiona! Fiona! Don't get too far ahead!
Homer: Yes, you are very fast!
Homer: But be careful!
Lemuse thinks Fiona will soon discover how fast her mum's spanking hand can move back and forth if she keeps running away from her like that.
Fiona stops next to Lemuse and rests her elbows on the table next to her.
Fiona: What's your name? You have a nice cloak. I wish I had a cloak like that.
Lemuse: My name is Lemuse.
Lemuse pronounces it "lem-yooz".
Fiona's Mum comes into sight from around a clump of trees. She looks somewhat hassled and is carrying a child somewhat smaller then Fiona.
Fiona: Lemmmyooooz.... [pouting up her lips]
Fiona: That's a funny name. My name is Fiona. It means woodspirit.
Fiona: I think it does.
Fiona: My pa said it does.
Lemuse: That's a pretty name.
Homer scans Fiona's Mum with interest.
Fiona: That's my Mum {points to her mum] That's my little brother. He is two. He smells funny sometimes.
Homer: Mother! Your child is here!
Fiona: His name is Ralpho. Isn't that a silly name?
Fiona's Mum can see her child is there. That's why she dresses her in bright red.
Fiona's Mum walks up to them.
Fiona's Mum: Oh, I hope she hasn't been bothering you!"
Homer smiles.
Homer: Not at all. Children are a blessing.
Fiona's Mum: Well, only someone with no children could possibly say that!
Fiona: Mummy, this man is a channel and his name is Sec, sec something and this is Lemmmmyoooz.
Homer examines Ralpho, who does indeed smell funny.
Lemuse smiles sympathetically at Fiona's mother.
Fiona's Mum: Now Fiona, what did I tell you about taking to strangers? What did I tell you about running ahead?
Fiona's Mum shifts Ralpho to her other hip.
Fiona's Mum: Come on now, we have to go.
Fiona: But Mummy! These are my friends!
Fiona's Mum puts her hand out for Fiona to hold.
Lemuse in fact would love to have some children of her own, but she has yet to find somebody of potential husband material who is willing to risk getting relocated to New Othwol or somewhere even worse if Arat gets reassigned and takes Lemuse with him.
Fiona, like a good girl that she isn't, takes her mothers hand.
Fiona: I have to go now.
Fiona: I hope you have a nice picnic.
Lemuse: Bye bye, Fiona. [wistfully]
Fiona sticks her thumb back in her mouth.
Fiona's Mum leads her away.
Homer: Good day, Fiona and Ralpho!
Homer notices that the scent of Ralpho seems to linger after him.
Homer notices that it seems to mingle rather strangely with the scent beginning to emerge from the black pot.
Homer is beginning to feel a little queasy.
Lemuse immediately notices Homer is not looking well.
Homer is beginning to look a bit green.
Lemuse: Are you all right?
Homer: Ahh... Give me a minute.
Lemuse: Turnover?
Lemuse offers her nager in support.
Homer nods, unable to speak for fear of increasing the nausea.
Homer leans on the support.
Homer backs up several steps and seats himself on a snowbank.
Lemuse: Homer, dear, there's a perfectly good....
Lemuse gives up on the picnic table bench idea and stands to follow Homer.
Lemuse continues her ~~ support ~~
Homer swallows, trying to control his nausea and starts to untie his shoes.
Homer nods to Lemuse gratefully as she moves nearer.
Lemuse doesn't think subzero temperatures and snow is a good time to be taking off shoes, but figures it ought to be OK for a minute or two.
Homer is able to use his Donor's excellent support to steady himself.
Homer: (gasping) Thank you.
Homer removes his shoes.
Lemuse: Rough one, huh?
Homer: It's been this way ever since I came north.
Homer: It helps to be on the ground.
Homer concentrates his attention on the oscillation of the earth beneath him to adjust the odd sense of displacement he has experienced ever since he left his homeland.
Homer wraps himself in Lemuse's supporting nager like a warm blanket.